Fire and Rain
by Tivafivanatomy
Summary: Jibbs AU short fic. There is a point in every body's life when you think 'something's got to change, something's got to give. There has to be something good around that corner.' Well for me that just so happened. Third person narrative. Jenny works in a bakery/diner and Gibbs is a fire fighter. They meet one rainy night. Jenny is 20 and Gibbs in 32. Set in DC. please enjoy! :D
1. Something Good Around The Corner

_**Author notes: this is my first individual Jibbs fic; my sister normally tells me what to write, or tells me to give her an idea, but this time I came up with this all on my own! Please enjoy and don't hate me if you don't like it. I have been warned that it was not go down well being AU but I like it and don't worry there will be a happy ending! This will only been a short fic, with only a few chapters. There is some swearing and a mild scene of sexual assault but, please don't be put off by that it is only a small scene and it probably won't be mention again. TFA :D**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS I just like writing. **_

There is a point in every body's life when you think 'something's got to change, something's got to give. There has to be something good around that corner.'

Well for me that just so happened.

Jennifer Shepard was running late for work, again. It's not her fault she can't seem to find a car that works or a mechanic that charges the appropriate amount. She can barely pay her rent for her crappy apartment as it is; she doesn't need to starve for a couple of months just so she can pay to fix a car that never really worked in the first place.

She had a crappy job, crappy car and apartment; she might go as far to say that she has a crappy, hellish life.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" Jenny called to her boss who approached her out of his office as she made her way to the kitchen. With just the look on her boss's face she knew what was coming "I'll make sure to make up the hours" she quickly added as she fixed her hair and apron.

"You better, it's the second time this week" he waved his arms in the air "What do you think I'm paying you for?"

"Less than what I actually do" she muttered under her breath as she started filling the sink with hot soapy water.

"I heard that! And for your cheek you can make up the hours by working the midnight shift tonight.

'Damn it!' she thought to herself.

The last thing a twenty year old wants to do on a Friday night is work.

And with that her boss left her in peace as she washed the dishes and pans that were used throughout the early morning of the bakery come diner called; la bonne nourriture.

Jenny knew she was in for a long day.

Throughout the rest of the morning Jenny had washed more pans and dishes and had served some customers. She was now on her lunch break; she stood out the back of the bakery/diner in an alleyway drinking from a bottle of water.

She had been outside of a few minutes when another worker came outside.

"Hey Jenny" the sleazy, greasy man greeted as he lent on the wall next to her.

"Hi Eddie" she replied awkwardly as she tried to step away from him but was stopped by the rubbish bins.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime" he stated as he looked her up and down as he leaned basically over her.

"I can't I'm busy that night" she replied quickly again trying to make an exit; this bloke gave her the creeps.

"I didn't mention a night" he stated cockily with a sly grin whilst licking his lips.

"I'm busy quite a lot" she tried to explain.

"Not even just one night?" he stroked his arm up hers which made Jenny want to vomit. They was no way in hell she would ever accept an invitation from him to do anything; it was bad enough just having to work in the same place as him, she couldn't manage any other event, even just talking.

He started to get angry from her tensed up reaction and so grabbed her wrists "look; I'm just asking for one night you little bitch"

Jenny was frozen with fear.

She never liked this guy; she knew that there was something wrong with him the first time she laid eyes on him. She just never thought this would happen.

As he got closer and closer to her face she held her breath, his God awful sent engulfed her senses; she didn't want to breathe.

With a hairline of distance between them he leapt back off of her in fright as an emergency vehicle sped passed the opening of the alleyway.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she noticed what had happened.

Once the noise of the fire truck had faded into the distance she walked quickly back inside without looking at Eddie; she headed straight for the disabled toilet; just in case he was going to trap her in the women's bathroom.

She splashed her face with water and looked in the mirror above the sink.

She was trying to think what she could do.

There was no point in claiming sexual assault; it was her word against his.

She was the only woman in the bakery/diner and so all the men would back up Eddie and she would probably lose her job; and she couldn't afford that.

So she would just have to avoid being left alone in a room with Eddie and Pray to God that it doesn't happen again.

She exited the bathroom and went and made a fresh batch of butter cream and busied herself in the kitchen, before she knew it she was the only one left in the kitchen and her boss entered.

"Okay, so here are the keys if you should need them, which you won't. You will stay at the counter unless someone orders something that you need to get from out back. No taking any money and no free food. Got it?"

"Yes, I've got it. Good night" Jenny replied almost sarcastically; all she wanted to do was go home and sleep, but no she had to stay all night on her own and deal with drunk adult men stumbling home after a night on the town.

And what made it worse was that it was raining; meaning if anyone was to come inside they would traipse water everywhere and it would mean another job for her to do.

Jenny was sitting at the counter with a mug of cheap disgusting coffee that she paid for, she was thinking of how stupid she was; she had brought a jar of coffee grind and had hid it in a cupboard but had failed to remember it was there and was now stuck with this muck.

It had just gone one and no one had entered the bakery/diner since her boss had left over three hours ago.

She was day dreaming when the bell above the door rang announcing that someone had entered.

She looked up; a man in his early thirties stood dripping wet in blue jeans and a red hoodie.


	2. a couple of cents

_**Author notes: Thank you to AussieTayla and tvdse5 and Guest for reviewing and sorry for taking forever! Another thank you goes to all the people who alerted and favourited this fic :D Next instalment is up, any suggestions? Feel free to share! TFA :D P.S. while I wrote this chapter I was listening to Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts, it reminds me of Jibbs :-) I have sort of changed the direction of this story but don't worry it is still going to be jam packed full of Jibbsy goodness!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**_

She looked up, a man in his early thirties stood dripping wet in blue jeans and a red hoodie.

The sadness in his eyes caught Jenny off guard _and she thought she was having a bad day._

The man seemed to look straight at her, but at the same time, straight through her. He walked towards the red head.

The man started to pull the stool out at the counter in front of Jenny.

She watched his every move.

He halted and actually for the first time _looked_ at Jenny.

They locked eyes.

He sat down but never let his eyes fall away from hers.

The man's hair lay slack on top of his head with water droplets cascading off his fringe and landing on the counter; that and the wall clock were the only sounds in the room.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Jenny offered politely, but not out of courtesy, but for the genuine reason that she saw this man was hurting and was in need of something. If it was solitude he was seeking, she would doubt his coming here, no; he needed someone to talk to.

"Coffee?" he replied after a few moments.

Even the sound of his voice portrayed pain, it almost hurt her.

She turned and grabbed the coffee pot and a mug. Pouring him some coffee she said "You don't come here much, do you? I haven't seen you in here before" she almost wanted to go and bang her head against a wall, almost.

As he picked up the mug, before taking a sip of the grotesque coffee, he smirked "That obvious huh?" he gulped down the muck "That" he pointed to the mug that now sat on the counter top "Is disgusting"

They both broke out into a smile.

"Oh I know. Wait here" she turned once he nodded and left to enter the back kitchen.

Even though he had only just met this woman and he didn't even know her name, he liked her; she made him forget the terrible day her had just experienced, for a few moments.

She returned a few minutes later with two piping hot mugs of fresh coffee.

She placed one in front of him on the counter "Here you go" and sat down opposite him. When he looked confused she answered "I have my own personal coffee grind out back. It's a lot nicer that that other junk"

"But why would you share it with me?" he reminded her of a hurt little boy.

"Well, you look like you're in need of a good cup of coffee" she stated simply as she cradled her mug in both hands and blew on the molten liquid.

"Yeah, well, you got that right" he didn't know why it was so easy to talk to this woman.

The next few minutes were spent in silence. This gave the pair time to notice how the lost man was lightly shivering.

Jenny stood rather suddenly "Let me get you some towels and I'll see if we have some dry clothes; you must be freezing" Jenny once again left the man alone in the eating and serving area of the establishment .

The man was once again left alone to his own thoughts of the tragic night that had just passed.

Out of nowhere the well-built man heard a loud thump, jumping to his feet; he followed to where he had heard the noise originate from. To his relief all he had heard was a cardboard box being dropped to the floor from the top of a step ladder.

"Oh!" Jenny was quite alarmed as she stepped down the small ladder and almost bumped into the man she had left sitting in the other room.

The sculptured man just bent to pick up the box that sat on the floor.

"Thank you, you can go ahead and put it on the counter" Jenny directed to the front of the property.

The man continued to stand on the serving side of the counter as Jenny reached into the worn box and pulled out a towel, jogging bottoms and a t-shirt that she thought would fit the fit man. "Here, you can try these"

He took the items and laid them on the counter top and then lifted his red hoodie over his head to reveal a dark blue DCFD t-shirt.

Jenny knew she should avert her eyes but his arms were so toned and his physique was now explained via the service t-shirt.

Jenny took his hoodie "I'll go and hang this up while you change" Jenny found an out and she took it; it's not that she wouldn't have loved to watch the handsome guy undress, but that would be so very awkward and embarrassing for both of them.

The almost flustered redhead entered back into the front of house after a long moment to ensure the innocent man had, had enough time to change.

He was sitting at the counter again sipping at the coffee she had made him earlier. He looked to her. Nodded. "Thank you"

"It's nothing really; I'm just glad I could help in some way" she gave him another smile as she collected the wet clothes to go and put them with his hoodie.

"You will never know how much. Just talking to a decent human being has helped me" the man spoke with true intent. "Hell, I think I could have a conversation with a dog and it would be more meaningful than talking to" he laughed, stopping himself.

Jenny took seat next to him "Your girlfriend left you huh?"

He looked at her as if to say _'worse'_

"Wife?"

He nodded "With my best friend" he clarified.

"I'm sorry" Jenny reached to a cloche covered cake stand to reveal a quarter of an apple pie, she handed him a fork that was sat ready to be used on the table from behind them "here, dig in". And with that the pair ate the crumbly pastry, fruit filled pie.

"I feel like we've met before" Jenny admitted changing her tune from earlier.

The man next to her regarded her for a moment "maybe" he gulped down the last of the coffee in his mug, walked over to his damp clothes and fished out his worn wallet from his jeans. "I only have a couple of cents" he admitted.

"It's okay, really; it's on the house" Jenny didn't want to make a fuss.

The man persisted "all I have is a lottery ticket for tomorrow night" he held up the slightly soggy paper.

"Honestly, it's no bother. Just promise to come in again at some point" Jenny gave a kind smile.

"how about I come back in two days either with the money or half the winnings of this ticket" he held the ticket just in front of her.

What did she have to lose? "okay, fine' just as long as I get to see you again…?"

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs" he offered.

She smiled "Jenny"

"I will definitely see you again Jenny"

The redhead went a fetched the fireman a plastic carrier bag for his clothes.

"Thank you for everything; this really did help. And I will see you in two days with the money you are owed and these clothes"

"I will see you then Jethro. Oh, and don't worry about the wife; you're better off without her"

He nodded and walked back out into the night, back into the rain, back into solitude.

_**Author notes: sooo… what do ya think? Should I bother?**_


End file.
